WHERE ARE MY ROSTER CARDS?

I know the Kings are making an effort to go green this year. I am all for helping the environment. It’s been pretty good to me so far.

As anyone who has been to a game at Staples has certainly noticed, one of the casualties of this altruistic effort is that the Kings no longer hand out roster cards upon entry to the games. While I do pride myself on knowing as much as I can about other teams, their players names and numbers, I can’t keep track of every schmuck who gets called up because the other schmuck hurt his pinky toe in practice. I also need to know who I’m yelling at and be able to contrive epithets appropriate to said opponent schmuck’s name. You know, for posterity.

So I must express some severe disappointment in the lack of a roster card being handed out before games.

At the same time, I like the earth I walk on and unfortunately, its one of the few things that takes precedence to hockey. Only by a little.

So let’s compromise. Here are my suggestions in the hopes someone from the Kings is reading and that the rest of you loyal readers and game attendees our there will take up this banner by my side.

1.) The roster cards do not have to be large.

Last season’s cards were thick.

They sported quality printing of photos of Kings’ players.

There was information about said King player on the back as well.

This is all unnecessary.

2.) I’m all for the green initiative.

So stop handing out these stupid coupons for crap no one wants.

Every usher has a stack of these things. 90% of them go in the trash.

They are tiny and thin.

So…

3.) Two sensible options present themselves.

Either get rid of the coupons and go totally green. Don’t half ass something so important.

Or, better yet, make a fair trade and swap out the coupons with roster cards.

4.) The new roster card concept.

Small, size of an index card or photo. 4″x6″

Thin is fine. I don’t need to be able to use it as a coaster.

No photos. Just give me information.

Black and white. Simple.

The Kings’ Staple Center experience has continually improved since Robitaille took over the business department. There have been missteps and corrections. I see them trying. Laser shows, looks great, wrong venue for it, but whatever, love the effort. Lemon Head commercial break retardation? Try again.

While we are at it, put a countdown clock during intermissions in the corner of the thousand TVs littered across Staples. Those waiting in obscene lines will appreciate it. They actually used to do this, then stopped. Do it again.

Totally agree about the fucking lemonheads game… Throw out the damn Anaheim inspired Tshirt cannon and the awful sixflags theme music… Use the bungee sling shot instead… But that damn Tshirt cannon reminds menof mighty duck games in the 90s…
I too miss the roster cards but I think a better substitute would be a digital roster card app for phones that we could see day of… I found that too often the roster cards weren’t up to date, had wrong numbers and old stats as well as the fact that healthy scratches and minor league subs… Trades too several games before they would be updated on the cards… I remember once they put the Nashville preds roster under the team name of the blue jackets…

That’s a sweet idea… smart phone app. I know people will say now “you can look on the website on your phone you lazy shmo!” And yes, I am lazy. I’m also trying to update you guys during games… an app would be awesome and easy.

I agree that those roster cards/player pictures are somewhat wasteful, and at times the content is not all that acccurate. Most of them do in fact end up on the floor. Also, I am pleased to see Staples sold out with a rink full of fans, but I have often wondered about how much most of the people in the seats really know about the team or the players anyway. Those roster cards/player pictures are probably for the casual fan. How many would notice if an Erik Ersberg picture was passed out? I don’t disparage the casual fan, the Kings’ organization needs income and their money is green. But they should lower their overhead by not passing out those cards anymore.

What I would like to see is some type warning at the concessions that play is starting during the intermissions. I hate waiting to get my kid a $8 hot dog and I miss something.

That’s why I suggested the clock in the corner of the TVs. It wouldn’t cost more than paying an IT for a few hours to get it up and running. I don’t know how their systems work, but it can’t be the hardest thing in the world.

And yes, I do remember that many of the roster cards end up on the floor. However I think they could get away with printing less of them. Every fan I’ve spoken to at games is annoyed that they didn’t get a roster card.

Truly, this post was really spurned on by them handing out those stupid coupons at the door. To me, it defeats the purpose of going green and they are much more useless than the roster cards. I’d be happy with a roster card as small and flimsy as those coupons and I doubt anyone would miss the coupons.

Don’t know what you will say to this, but
What about helping the youth hockey clubs and buying the programs they sell? Only$2.00 whick I know you all spend in a heartbeat.
It has the opposing team inside.

I miss looking at the visiting teams’ roster while watching them, but that link sure does solve that (that is if I remember to print it out before the game). I also miss the cards since I liked to have the players autograph them. I think the Team LA store should sell the cards (photo-only) in a team set for those that want the photos, especially for autographing purposes.

The $2.00 programs do NOT have the opposing teams in there which is why I don’t buy them very often. I have no idea why. As for the break time left, they used to put the countdown time on the TV’s. No more though. To me, the future is digital signage, lots of it everywhere. Rosters flashing, current game stats, etc. Heck, small screens above the urinals even!

The roster card debate has apparently spurred Rich Hammond to print the Islander’s roster in his blog with this lable:
followed by their full roster for those who are going through roster-card withdrawals…

I know that doesn’t help you if your printer isn’t working, but I thought you should know that someone was listening.